


Accidental Babysitting

by kanjogirl



Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: Age Regression/De-Aging, Cute, F/M, Fluff, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-31
Updated: 2013-10-31
Packaged: 2017-12-31 01:19:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,188
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1025624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kanjogirl/pseuds/kanjogirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>While Raleigh loves being around his copilot, he's not exactly sure how to feel about a five year old Mako Mori that still adores wearing his sweaters.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Accidental Babysitting

**Author's Note:**

> Written for a Pacific Rim roleplay group, where a second breach opened and they have to deal with kaijus. It's pretty kickass, though Mako has not officially been deaged (yet~muahahaha).

 

The kaiju had emitted something that got through the filters.  They didn’t see it or even sense it until the cockpit’s sensors were blaring with alarms.  Some unknown gas was seeping through their oxygen and Raleigh was already tearing off his and going for Mako’s.  She was coughing and heaving but two seconds later, they had to tag team Cherno Beta as Mocking was carried back.  
  
  
And, hey, Cherno beat the kaiju to a pulp, so it wasn’t such a bad deal.  But they had no idea if they were poisoned or not.  Mako seemed to have taken the worst of it.  She was still coughing and her hair clung to her forehead with sweat.  Raleigh may or may have not been freaking the fuck out.  Not that no one seemed to care anyway, more focused on Mako.  
  
  
So after checking her vitals and two hours later, Mako seemed to be doing just fine.  She even snapped at someone for not using the right protocol for checking her into medical.  And Raleigh took that as a good sign.    
  
  
So Raleigh’s now on his side, arm slung over Mako in his bed.  He ‘suggested’ it might be best she stays with him, just in case (Mako will later say he basically dragged her there).  She’s sleeping soundly in her tank top, sweat pants and he’s clad in just about the same thing.  Military issue, of course.  She’s sound asleep and Raleigh thinks he can rest easy.  
  
  
Until he wakes with a start (wow, he fell asleep?)  when something is snuggling into his chest.  His hand grasps blindly for Mako, who should be next to him, but there’s nothing there.  Something’s still curling against him and it’s…smaller than Mako.  
  
  
Raleigh glances down.    
  
  
There’s a child picking at the threads in his tank top.  Raleigh yelps and falls out of the bed.  The child goes with him in a heap of laughter.  Extracting the child away from him and scrambling for the nearest corner, Raleigh tries sorting out his thoughts.  
  
  
Okay, so there’s a kid.  In his room.  No Mako.  He’s not dreaming or anything   Or maybe he hopefully is.  That would be super nice of whatever God is looking out for him.     
  
  
The kid pouts at him and Raleigh inwardly panics.  ”Hey…hey, no, don’t do that—-“  
  
  
He stops when he realizes the child looks a whole lot like a mini version of a certain copilot.  He blinks.  Once.  Twice.  And the horror settles in.  Oh, god no.  
  
  
"Mako?"  
  
  
She giggles, covering her mouth and falling on her back when a sudden weight pulls her down.  The clothes are a bit heavy on her, he guesses.  She looks about five years old.  Or younger.  Raleigh’s not good with age.  He scoots closer to her as she struggles to sit back up.  Scooping her up, bundled in the sweatpants and tank top, even dogtags, Raleigh holds her in his arms as he sits on the bed.    
  
  
Almost by instinct, Mako buries her face into his chest and sighs.  ”Sleepy time?”  
  
  
She makes another sound but Raleigh has no clue what that’s supposed to mean.  He takes a big breath to try to calm himself because right now his copilot is a child and the last time he held a kid was when Jaz was little.    
  
  
"Gotta get you in some clothes that fit you," he grumbles.  
  
  
Mako perks up at that.  As if reading his mind, she glances up to him with wide, expectant eyes and then struggles to get out of his hold.  He keeps her with him but stands up.    
  
  
"Now what?"  
  
  
She points to the sweater he had tossed carelessly on his dresser about two days ago.  He scoffs.  Of course she would.  It doesn’t matter how damn old Mako Mori is, she’ll still want to take his sweaters.  He would be proud but he’s still in a crisis so he let’s that thought go.  
  
  
Mako’s tugging the sweater over her in about ten seconds.  The sleeves are too long and the torso is longer than her whole body but she jumps up and down excitedly and Raleigh can’t help but laugh.  She does the same, holding up her arms.  
  
  
"Whatcha want now?" he asks, hands on his hips.  
  
  
Mako looks at him like he’s a stupid head.  Raleigh wouldn’t doubt that’s what she’s thinking.   She bounces on her heels and holds out her hands that are covered by long sleeves.    
  
  
Raleigh gets the idea and picks her up.  Automatically, Mako throws her arms around his neck, latching onto him.  He feels oddly adored and decides this is probably the best time to go wake up Newt, Hermann and Vanessa.  And Herc.  Oh, he’s going to love this one.   
  
  
 Their reactions are a bit mixed, actually.  Newt is freaking out happily, Hermann is wincing, Vanessa is gushing and Herc is rather quiet for a long time until he just starts barking orders, Mako plays with Raleigh’s hair, saying gibberish in the meantime.  Raleigh thinks that he should be worried for the responses because, uh, Mako Mori is a child and the most he’s getting out of this is that it’s some sort of kaiju breakthrough?    
  
  
Finally, Newt gets her hooked up and says it’s an easy fix.  And Raleigh’s thinking all sorts of curses he could say to ask, “How is it an easy fix?”  Newt waves a hand and Raleigh gives him a dull look.  Okay, Raleigh can be clueless but he’s not exactly a dumb blond; he’d understand.  Eventually.    
  
  
They have Raleigh holding Mako’s hand the entire time as they give her a shot.  She looks up at Raleigh with watery eyes and tries not to cry.  He soothes her and, at the prompting at Vanessa, makes silly faces for her enjoyment.  It works and she begins laughing.  Then comes the purified oxygen.  It takes up to fifteen minutes until Mako finally just falls asleep with the mask.  She slumps against Raleigh’s form and he sighs out.  
  
  
"Shouldn’t be too long, Becket," Hermann mutters and Newt scoffs.    
  
  
"Give it a few hours.  Or years.  She’ll grow back up either way."  
  
  
Vanessa, Herc and Hermann give Newt a side glance before Raleigh scoops the sleeping Mako in his arms carefully and heads to his room.  He swipes at his face tiredly and ends up back on the bed.  Mako mumbles in her sleep and he lays her on his chest.  She curls into a ball and makes those little sounds little kids do.  He shouldn’t, but he lets himself sleep too.  
  
  
When he wakes up, however, he sees big dark eyes staring at him and he almost yelps again.  The weight on him is heavier than before and things begin to register in his brain.  
  
  
"There is a reason for this, right, Raleigh?"  
  
  
Okay.  So she doesn’t remember, she’s wearing nothing but his sweatshirt (oh god, don’t fucking move, Raleigh Becket) and he’s about to explain the most ridiculous story in the world that even he wouldn’t believe, while she lays on top of him.  
  
  
Raleigh gives a small, sheepish smile.    
  
  
This is going to suck.  
  
---


End file.
